Women on Stage Conference IWD 2023

Join Women on Stage Conference IWD 2023 at Riskified Office, TLV! 

**Note that the event will be in Hebrew and open to all genders. Participation is free of charge pending approval.

*Paid parking can be found at "Asia House" - Dafna St 6 or at "Golda" - Berkowitz St 7, Tel Aviv-Yafo. Accessible entrance can be found from within the building.

For this year's International Women's Day, Women on Stage is hosting a physical event with a series of engaging talks highlighting and celebrating leading technical women from all across Israel’s tech industry, showcasing our outstanding graduates from the Technical Speakers Academy course!

Tune in to hear from these impressive technical leaders on such diverse topics as:

Data Science and Machine Learning, Software Management, Product Management, Frontend, Backend, Engineering Culture and much more!

Agenda:

• 17:00 - 17:30  Welcome and Mingling
• 17:30 - 17:45  Opening Words By Moran Weber - Code Like a Girl: If You Can See It, You Can Be It
• 17:45 - 18:45  Academy Graduates Part 1
• 18:45 - 19:15  Break
• 19:15 - 20:00  Leaders Panel - Repairing the Career Ladder for Women in Technological Positions
• 20:00 - 20:30  Academy Graduates Part 2

For abstracts and full agenda of the Academy Graduates, visit our conference page.

//Code Like a Girl: If You Can See It, You Can Be It

It’s no secret that women are highly underrepresented in the tech industry. Some argue that this is a “natural” given fact, but it hasn't always been this way; software development was actually once perceived as a rather feminine field. Turns out, something happened in the mid-1980s that dramatically decreased the percentage of women in computer science studies. Why? What happened?

In this talk, I’ll explain what affected these numbers and discuss the importance of role models for women in tech. I’ll share the story behind Women on Stage and demonstrate why representation matters so much.   

You will see there isn’t anything “natural” about it and that you CAN make a difference just by doing some things differently. Join me and I will show you how. 

Moran Weber, CEO & Founder of Women on Stage:

Moran Weber is the CEO & Founder of Women on Stage. She’s formerly Tech Lead at Wix with 10 years of experience in software development. In addition, she is a Social Psychologist, holding an MA in Social Psychology, along with a BSc in Computer Science and Psychology from Tel-Aviv University.  In the past, Moran suffered from severe stage fright and impostor syndrome. Her path of overcoming these anxieties included stepping up to as many stages as possible, and becoming a renowned speaker and speakers’ trainer. Her unique background as a Software Developer, a Social Psychologist, and as a woman in tech drove her to embark on a mission to amplify women's voices everywhere.

//Repairing the Career Ladder for Women in Technological Positions

We often hear about “The Glass Ceiling” - that invisible barrier women face that prevents them from reaching the top ranks of tech companies. In reality, the problem begins much lower down the promotion ladder, meaning the first step up from an entry-level position to management or technical leadership is often “broken.” In other words, you must get your foot on the first rung of the ladder to climb it.

However, there is hope. This panel of elite tech leaders will explore strategies for repairing the broken career ladder for women in tech. The panelists will draw on their own experiences on how to address the barriers that prevent women from advancing in the tech industry, and share actionable practices for creating more inclusive workplaces that promote gender equality and empower the next generation. 

Join us on this inspiring panel to repair the career ladder together and provide women in tech the tools needed to climb up and reach their full potential.

Vicki Kalmanovich, Senior Engineering Leader:

Vicki Kalmanovich is a Senior Engineering Leader. In her previous roles she has led strategy, growth and technology in various organizations, including Walmart and the Israeli Navy. She is also the founder and host of the Israeli technology podcast Barvazgumi, a passionate technology and diversity speaker and a strong musicals enthusiast. 

Carine-Belle Feder, CTO & Co-Founder of Antidote Health:

Carine-Belle Feder is an accomplished technology expert and the CTO of Antidote Health, a digital healthcare company that builds an affordable HMO. With more than 10 years of engineering experience, including leading tech teams during military service at 8200, she has established herself as a leader in the tech industry. Carine-Belle is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in tech by providing resources and support to women and minorities. As a mission-driven company, Antidote is focused on expanding access to quality medical services for low-income individuals in the USA.

Liron Yosef, Director of Engineering @ Cato Networks:

Liron is the Director of Engineering at Cato Networks. Her team is responsible for the Cato Management services, including applicative infrastructure teams and the Cato Management Application, which allows IT administrators to configure, monitor and view their network with ease and expertise. Liron has more than 20 years of experience in engineering leadership roles, ranging from Software Engineer, Scrum Team Leader, R&D Manager and now, Director of Engineering. 

Anat Rapoport, Experienced VP R&D:

Anat Rapoport has worked her way through every rank in the engineering and technology industries. She has been VP of engineering at multiple companies and was GM and  co-CEO in her last two roles. Anat is an experienced R&D manager with a Master of Science in Computer Science from Tel Aviv University. She is an Israel Defense Forces 8200 alumni and a fierce advocate for women in tech. Anat is a mom of three and lives in Tel Aviv with her family.

Liat Ashkenazi, SVP of Engineering & Site Lead @ OwnBackup:

Liat Ashkenazi is the SVP of Engineering and Site Lead at OwnBackup. In her role, Liat leads a team of around 150 engineers located across various locations. With over 20 years of experience in building enterprise software and managing high-scale global R&D organizations, Liat brings a wealth of expertise across various domains such as security, storage, and IoT. She holds a BA in Computer Science and Economics, an MSc in Computer Science, and an MBA from Tel Aviv University. Liat's contributions to the technology industry have been recognized and she has been awarded as the best VP R&D by the Geektime Awards. Liat is dedicated to advancing the technology industry and supporting the growth of future leaders in the field.